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Inanimae
The Inanimae are cousins to the True Fae. While they are not true elemental spirits, they have a close kinship to them. Each Inanimae fashions itself after a specific element. History The Inanimae have their own secret history, separated from their faerie brethren. Their relation with "Land of Unfulfilled Dreams" is more tied to nature than human dreams. When the Dreaming and the mortal world drifted asunder, the Inanimae were those fae that chose to take refuge in phenomenons of the natural world. Some of these merely used the elements to construct their Mien, while others became "sessile" and entered a place of their element, claiming it as their Anchor. During the Sundering, the various phyla of the Inanimae coalesced into the first of the Slow Empires. The relations between these realms was tedious and complex, its politics spanning decades. During this time, Inanimae and mortals regularly interacted. Some ignored them, while others enjoyed their adoration, allowing them to shape their Anchors and becoming the first krofted. During this time, the Empire of Flames chose to aid humanity by gifting them with the knowledge of making fire. This was seen as a major betrayal by most other Inanimae, for it allowed mankind to shape and enslave the world around it, resulting in the creation of the first Mannikin. This led to the War of Making, which resulted in the subjugation of the Empire of Flames by an alliance of the other Empires led by the Empire of Stones. Lost in their own war, most Inanimae did not notice the Shattering until it had already reached its peak. Most chose to Slumber, entering a state of hibernation to await the time when Glamour would resurge. Some made deals with Verbena or wizards of House Merinita to protect their Anchors from desecration. This is referred to as the Long Slumber among the Inanimae. When the Resurgence actually came in 1969, only a few Inanimae managed to awaken. Some of these newly awakened fae chose to fight in the Accordance War, but the majority abstained. In the Final Nights, other Sessile Ones have awakened, only to find that Spring has not yet come and that the Endless Winter draws near. Nature Before the Shattering, Inanimae simply sprang to life spontaneously. This typically occured when nature's own forces - such as earthquakes, thunderstorms, or wildfires - were active, especially in areas saturated with Glamour. Inanimae also could been born from the union between two other Inanimae of the same affiliation, although this was frowned upon and the children of these unions were stigmatized. By now, the fae souls of the Inanimae have undergone a ritual similar to the Changeling Way, but instead of mortal bodies, they tied themselves to the elements. Others are the result of chimeras that reach the Autumn World and possess material objects to protect themselves against Banality. Slumbering Inanimae can be awakened by a surge of Glamour (for example, during a Chrysalis). The most important asset of an Inanimae is their Anchor, the hold of the Inanimae in the Autumn World. They can be further differentiated between gladelings, whose Anchor has remained natural, and'' krofted, whose Anchor has been shaped by human hands. Gladelings hate Krofted as perversions born out of the betrayal of the Solimonds, while the Krofted have become the majority of Inanimae in the last hundred years. These can have strong influence on the Dreamform of the Inanimae, its faerie self, which usually resembles the Anchor. Anchors are also used to replenish Glamour. If an Anchor is destroyed, the Inanimae will wither and be Undone a short period of time afterwards. Awakened Inanimae usually undergo a short period of recalibration before other Fae become aware of them. These Inanimae undergo a fostering that teaches them how to construct a Mien (also known as Husk among Inanimae) to move among humans. These husks begin as pre-adolescent children, but age rapidly when in contact with Banality. During this period, the Inanimae also regains parts of his memory, learning of his existence before the slumber. They accept the basic changeling jeus, but use the terms of childling, wilder and grump to describe how long an Inanimae has been awake. Phyla Phyla are the great Inanimae Courts, groups of specific Inanimae centered around a certain element that is reflected in their Anchor. They are referred to as the Slow Empires. All Phyla are bound together by the Codex Primeval, which details basic guidelines for interaction. * Glomes, Inanimae of Earth and members of the Empire of Stones * Kuberas, Inanimae of Wood and members of the Empire of Seeds * Mannikins, Inanimae of human-shaped elements and members of the Empire of Dolls * Ondines, Inanimae of Water and members of the Empire of Tears * Parosemes, Inanimae of Air and members of the Empire of Skies * Solimonds, Inanimae of Fire and former members of the Empire of Flames Jeu What the Kithain would call their seeming, the Inanimae call Jeu. The Jeu is based on how long the Inanimae has been active in the waking world rather than on their apparent age. The Dreamform of the Fae may appear as any age. The Husk begins in adolescent form and ages as the Fae remains away from his or her Anchor. * Childling Inanimae are newly awakened and newly out of fosterage. * Wilder Inanimae have been active for several years. * Grump Inanimae have managed to avoid Slumber for many years. Magic The Inanimae practice faerie magic, but with a twist befitting their elemental nature. They, too, use Realms, but focus on the five elements of air, fire, earth, water and spirit. Instead of Arts, they use Slivers. Festival Days Like all of the Fae, the Inanimae have certain holidays that they keep. While these days do not pre-suppose a change in power among them as the feasts of Beltaine and Samhain do, they are associated with the different Phyla. Equinoxes and Solstices It isn't surprising that Fae as tied to the natural world as the Inanimae are would celebrate the 4 key turning points of the year. Each Empire celebrates on the date associated with them and it is on these days that leaders of the 4 intact empires meet with the puppet leader of the Solimonds being ignored. * '''Autumn Equinox -' A joint celebration led by the Ondines and Parosemes. All are invited to the underwater palaces of the Nereids with oxygen supplied by the Silfar. Feasting is great and gifts are given. * Winter Solstice -''' Hosted by the Glomes, it is a great Tourney held in the Dreaming that is similar to the Olympics, if the Olympics were about martial prowess. Winners are showered with praise and, if Glomes, destined for rapid advancement. * 'Spring Equinox -' This festival is a great Faire hosted by the Kuberas. Inanimae musicians, artists, and craftsfae meet to show their wares and all celebrate the renewal of life and Winter's end. If the leaders of the empires need to make any joint announcements, this is the time and place. * 'Summer Solstice -' Once a stately and noble masque of great beauty as well as a 4 day University where the Solimonds would gather and share their knowledge, it is now a drunken Bacchanal. The only Salamanders who attend are yes-men and fawning underlings seeking to gain favor. Its current state prevents many Inanimae from bothering to attend. * 'New Year's Eve -' While the Mannikins have no yearly ritual, rumors persist of time stolen on New Year's Eve between 11:59 and Midnight. People whisper that in that minute all the Toys awaken and live out a whole day fully human then return to their Anchors and time rewinds to Midnight again. IF it were true, it would help explain how the Dolls know so much that remains hidden to the other empires. Remembrance Day A holiday only for the Solimonds in exile, this is a grey, sorrowful day when they remember their lost Homeland with dolorous processions, flickering fire in the night, and haunting dirges. This holiday is outlawed by the '''Heavy People in the Solimond Homeland. The Moot This is the holiday where the Kuberas gather in a huge glade on high summer somewhere in Russia. Here the Dryads are allowed to petition their monarch. If their 10 year reign is over, the current monarch is sent into Somnolence and a new one is chosen. Invitations are highly sought after and few are given. Those without an invitation can never find the place. High King David was invited last year by personal request of Queen Driyanna and declined with apologies. The results of the snub are yet to be felt. Secret Societies Like the Kithain, the Inanimae participate in many groups. Some are public like the Paroseme Knights who battle the War for the Sky. Others are secret. * 'Solimond Liberation Front, Solimond Libre, etc... -' Groups of Solimonds who seek to regain their sovereignty by either terrorism or diplomacy, depending on the group in question. * 'Gaia's Fist -' A group of Gladelings who claim they will never accept their Krofted kin and who work to drive them out of Inanimae society. * 'The Brotherhood of the Hand -' A group of Inanimae, of both the Glade and the Kroft, who seek to heal the rifts between their two courts. * 'The Empire of the Machine -' Supposedly a group of Krofted Fae who became obsessed with human artifacts and devices and seek to Anchor with them. * 'The Concordiat -' A secret band of scholars that is all that remains of the great universities of the Empire of Flames. Ties to House Varich The Unseelie sidhe of House Varich claim to have long relationships, usually of the master/servant variety, with the Inanimae in their homeland of Russia. That relationship has become strained since the Shattering. For more information on House Varich and their understanding of these fae, see the article subsection House Varich#Inanimae: Spirits of the Rus. Gallery Inanimae.png|Inanimae in C20 Inanimae37.png References * * , p.62-63 Category:Changeling: The Dreaming glossary Category:Changeling: The Dreaming Category:Dark Ages: Fae Category:Glossary Category:Gallain (CTD)